Methods of using IL-31 to treat airway hyper-responsiveness and asthma

• US 7,799,323 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zymogenetics Incorporated (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company)
• Original Assignee: Zymogenetics Incorporated (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company)
• Inventors: Chadwick, Eric M., Mudri, Sherri L., Bilsborough, Janine M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saoud; Christine J
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOCKARD, JON MCCLELLAND
• Application Number:
  US11/972,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20080260686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 424/85.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/20 Interleukins [IL]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/02 Nasal agents, e.g. decongestants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/06 Antiasthmatics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/08 Antiallergic agents antiasthmatic agents A61P11/06; ophthalmic antiallergics A61P27/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

Use of IL-31 agonists, including IL-31, are used to treat agonists are used to treat asthma, airway hyper-responsiveness or allergic rhinitis. The method comprise inhibiting, reducing, limiting or minimizing production of proimflammatory cytokines and include administration of the IL-31 agonsit during sensitization or challenge resulting in the asthma, airway hyper-responsiveness or allergic rhinitis state.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting, minimizing, reducing, or neutralizing asthma, airway hyper-responsiveness, or allergic rhinitis in a mammal, comprising administering an Interleukin-31 (IL-31) agonist to the mammal wherein pulmonary inflammation is reduced and wherein the IL-31 agonist is administered during sensitization or challenge and wherein the IL-31 agonist comprises amino acid residues 27 to 164 of SEQ ID NO:

2.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein production of proinflammatory cytokines in the lung and BAL fluid is inhibited, minimized, or neutralized.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the proinflammatory cytokines are IL-5 or IL-13.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the proinflammatory cytokines are IL-5 and IL-13.

5. A method of down-regulating the expression of IL-31 Ra in asthma, airway hyper-responsiveness or allergic rhinitis in a mammal comprising administering an amount of an IL-31 agonist wherein the IL-31 agonist comprises amino acid residues 27 to 164 of SEQ ID NO:

2.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein inflammation is inhibited, minimized, or neutralized.

7. A method of down-regulating the expression of IL-31Ra in asthma, airway hyper-responsiveness or allergic rhinitis in a mammal, comprising administering an amount of an IL-31 agonist wherein the IL-31 agonist has at least 95% sequence identity to the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

2 from residue 27 to 164.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the IL-31 agonist is produced in mammalian cells.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the IL-31 agonist is produced in E. coli.

10. A method of inhibiting, minimizing, reducing, or neutralizing asthma, airway hyper-responsiveness, or allergic rhinitis in a mammal, comprising administering an Interleukin-31 (IL-31) agonist to the mammal wherein pulmonary inflammation is reduced and wherein the IL-31 agonist is administered during sensitization or challenge and wherein the IL-31 agonist has at least 95% sequence identity to the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

2 from residue 27 to 164.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the IL-31 agonist is produced in mammalian cells.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the IL-31 agonist is produced in E. coli.